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Urine tests
Disclaimer: This fact sheet is for educational use only. Please consult your doctor or other health professional to make sure this information is right for your child.
Why is my child having a urine test?Testing a sample of your child’s urine (wee) is the only way to know for sure if they have a UTI (urinary tract infection).
See the following fact sheet on this website:
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How are urine samples collected?For children who are out of nappies and who can wee when asked, an MSU (mid-stream urine sample) is usually collected.
In younger children who are in nappies and cannot wee on request, an MSU is usually not possible. Several methods can be used:
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MSU (mid-stream urine sample) Back to Top
"Clean catch"
- this involves 'catching' a sample of clean urine from an infant or young child as they wee
- give your infant a drink or breast feed to help fill the bladder
- clean your child’s genital area with soap and water
- leave your child’s nappy off and wait for them to wee and quickly catch a small amount in a sterile container (from your doctor)
- on the container write your child’s first name, surname, date of birth, and the date and time you collected the sample
- it is important that the urine sample is fresh when tested so deliver it to your laboratory within two hours or put it in the fridge (not the freezer) until you can deliver the sample
- it can be difficult to time catching a wee; several attempts may be needed. This can be time-consuming and often not practical when infants are unwell
- a clean catch is only really practical to do in infants who are not yet mobile and so can lie still on their backs
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Bag collection
- you attach a plastic bag, which has a sticky strip, over your baby’s genital area after cleaning very well with soap and water (for boys, the entire penis can go in the bag; for girls the bag goes over the labia)
- you can put a nappy on, over the bag
- urine collects in the bag when your baby wees
- sometimes it can take several attempts to get some wee
- transfer the urine sample from the bag into the sterile container (from your doctor)
- on the container write your child’s first name, surname, date of birth, and the date and time you collected the sample
- it is important that the urine sample is fresh when tested so deliver it to your laboratory within two hours or put it in the fridge (not the freezer) until you can deliver it; don’t leave the bag on your baby overnight
- a bag urine sample is often contaminated by germs from the skin; this can make it look like your child has a UTI (urinary tract infection) even if they don’t really
- if the result indicates a possible UTI, your child will need a clean urine sample taken directly from the bladder to confirm the result (see Clean urine collection methods below). In some situations (for example if your child is only mildly unwell) a repeat bag urine collection can be used to confirm whether a UTI is really present
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Clean urine collection methodsCatheter samples and SPAs (suprapubic aspirates), also called ‘bladder taps’, are a way of getting urine directly from the bladder. Unlike the bag urine test, there is little chance of contamination of germs from the skin. Clean urine collection methods are the best way to accurately diagnose a UTI (urinary tract infection).
See the following fact sheet on this website:
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Catheter sample
- a doctor or nurse passes a fine plastic tube (catheter) into the urethra (the tube from which urine passes out of the bladder) and bladder so that they can collect a urine sample into a sterile container
- your child needs to lie down with their ankles held together to make sure the catheter goes in cleanly - babies and young children may not like being held in this position, but it only takes a few minutes, and there is little or no discomfort with the actual test
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SPA (suprapubic aspirate)
- your child lies down on their back and needs to be held still
- a doctor puts a small needle through the skin of the lower part of their tummy (abdomen), and into the bladder
- urine is collected straight from the bladder via the needle into the syringe
- SPAs are a very safe test and problems are rare
- in terms of discomfort for your child, it is similar to having a blood test
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How are urine samples tested?Urine samples are first usually tested with a ‘dipstick’ (test strip) straightaway by your doctor or nurse. This can provide clues about whether your child may have a UTI (urinary tract infection), but a final diagnosis can only be made by sending the urine to the laboratory for a ‘culture’ to be done. A culture is where the germ (bacteria) is grown in special gel. This makes it possible to tell what the germ is and which antibiotics to use to kill it. Culture results may take 24 to 48 hours.
If the dipstick test suggests a UTI, then treatment is usually started before the culture results are available. The diagnosis and treatment may be changed once the culture results are available from the laboratory.
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AcknowledgementsThis fact sheet has been adapted from:
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Your notes
Endorsement
This fact sheet was endorsed by PSNZ - 27/06/2009
Copyright
Fact sheets are subject to copyright. In the interests of information sharing they may be copied but acknowledgement must be given to PSNZ and Starship Foundation.
© The Paediatric Society of New Zealand and Starship Foundation 2005 - 2012
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